Cap Cap transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Capped ; present participle & verbal noun Capping .] 1. To cover with a cap, or as with a cap; to provide with a cap or cover; to cover the top or end of; to place a cap upon the proper part of; as, to cap a post; to cap a gun.

The bones next the joint are capped with a smooth cartilaginous substance.
Derham.

2. To deprive of cap. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

3. To complete; to crown; to bring to the highest point or consummation; as, to cap the climax of absurdity.

4. To salute by removing the cap. [ Slang. Eng.]

Tom . . . capped the proctor with the profoundest of bows.
Thackeray.

5. To match; to mate in contest; to furnish a complement to; as, to cap text; to cap proverbs. Shak.

Now I have him under girdle I'll cap verses with him to the end of the chapter.
Dryden.

» In capping verses, when one quotes a verse another must cap it by quoting one beginning with the last letter of the first letter, or with the first letter of the last word, or ending with a rhyming word, or by applying any other arbitrary rule may be agreed upon.

Cap Cap intransitive verb To uncover the head respectfully. Shak.

Capability Ca`pa·bil"i·ty noun ; plural Capabilities . 1. The quality of being capable; capacity; capableness; esp. intellectual power or ability.

A capability to take a thousand views of a subject.
H. Taylor.

2. Capacity of being used or improved.

Capable Ca"pa·ble adjective [ French capable , Late Latin capabilis capacious, capable, from Latin caper to take, contain. See Heave .] 1. Possessing ability, qualification, or susceptibility; having capacity; of sufficient size or strength; as, a room capable of holding a large number; a castle capable of resisting a long assault.

Concious of joy and capable of pain.
Prior.

2. Possessing adequate power; qualified; able; fully competent; as, a capable instructor; a capable judge; a mind capable of nice investigations.

More capable to discourse of battles than to give them.
Motley.

3. Possessing legal power or capacity; as, a man capable of making a contract, or a will.

4. Capacious; large; comprehensive. [ Obsolete] Shak.

» Capable is usually followed by of , sometimes by an infinitive.

Syn. -- Able; competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective; skillful.

Capableness Ca"pa·ble·ness noun The quality or state of being capable; capability; adequateness; competency.

Capacify Ca·pac"i·fy (kȧ*păs"ĭ*fī) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Capacified (-fīd).] [ Latin capax , -acis , capacious + -fy .] To quality. [ R.]

The benefice he is capacified and designed for.
Barrow.

Capacious Ca·pa"cious (kȧ*pā"shŭs) adjective [ Latin capax , -acis , from capere to take. See Heave .] 1. Having capacity; able to contain much; large; roomy; spacious; extended; broad; as, a capacious vessel, room, bay, or harbor.

In the capacious recesses of his mind.
Bancroft.

2. Able or qualified to make large views of things, as in obtaining knowledge or forming designs; comprehensive; liberal. "A capacious mind." Watts.

Capaciously Ca·pa"cious·ly adverb In a capacious manner or degree; comprehensively.

Capaciousness Ca·pa"cious·ness noun The quality of being capacious, as of a vessel, a reservoir a bay, the mind, etc.

Capacitate Ca·pac"i·tate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Capacitated ; present participle & verbal noun Capacitating .] To render capable; to enable; to qualify.

By this instruction we may be capaciated to observe those errors.
Dryden.

Capacity Ca·pac"i·ty noun ; plural Capacities (-tĭz). [ Latin capacitus , from capax , capacis ; from French capacité . See Capacious .] 1. The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; -- used in reference to physical things.

Had our great palace the capacity
To camp this host, we all would sup together.
Shak.

The capacity of the exhausted cylinder.
Boyle.

2. The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling.

Capacity is now properly limited to these [ the mere passive operations of the mind]; its primary signification, which is literally room for , as well as its employment, favors this; although it can not be denied that there are examples of its usage in an active sense.
Sir W. Hamilton.

3. Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing.

The capacity of blessing the people.
Alex. Hamilton.

A cause with such capacities endued.
Blackmore.

4. Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter.

5. (Law) Legal or moral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, wills, etc.; legal power or right; competency.

Capacity for heat , the power of absorbing heat. Substances differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference is the measure of, or depends upon, what is called their capacity for heat . See Specific heat , under Heat .

Syn. -- Ability; faculty; talent; capability; skill; efficiency; cleverness. See Ability .

Capape Cap`·a·pe" adverb See Cap-a-pie . Shak.

Capapie Cap`·a·pie" adverb [ Old French cap-a-pie , from head to foot, now de pied en cap from foot to head; Latin pes foot + caput head.] From head to foot; at all points. "He was armed cap-a-pie ." Prescott.

Caparison Ca·par"i·son noun [ French caparaçon , from Spanish caparazon a cover for a saddle, coach, etc.; capa cloak, cover (fr. Late Latin capa , confer Late Latin caparo also from capa ) + the term. azon . See Cap .] 1. An ornamental covering or housing for a horse; the harness or trappings of a horse, taken collectively, esp. when decorative.

Their horses clothed with rich caparison .
Drylen.

2. Gay or rich clothing.

My heart groans beneath the gay caparison .
Smollett.

Caparison Ca·par"i·son transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Caparisoned present participle & verbal noun Caparisoning .] [ Confer F caparaçonner .]

1. To cover with housings, as a horse; to harness or fit out with decorative trappings, as a horse.

The steeds, caparisoned with purple, stand.
Dryden.

2. To adorn with rich dress; to dress.

I am caparisoned like a man.
Shak.

Caparro Ca·par"ro noun [ Native Indian name.] (Zoology) A large South American monkey ( Lagothrix Humboldtii ), with prehensile tail.

Capcase Cap"case` noun A small traveling case or bandbox; formerly, a chest.

A capcase for your linen and your plate.
Beau. & Fl.

Cape Cape (kāp) noun [ French cap , from Italian capo head, cape, from Latin caput heat, end, point. See Chief .] A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into the sea or a lake; a promontory; a headland.

Cape buffalo (Zoology) a large and powerful buffalo of South Africa ( Bubalus Caffer ). It is said to be the most dangerous wild beast of Africa. See Buffalo , 2. -- Cape jasmine , Cape jessamine . See Jasmine . -- Cape pigeon (Zoology) , a petrel ( Daptium Capense ) common off the Cape of Good Hope. It is about the size of a pigeon. -- Cape wine , wine made in South Africa [ Eng.] -- The Cape , the Cape of Good Hope, in the general sense of the southern extremity of Africa. Also used of Cape Horn, and, in New England, of Cape Cod.

Cape Cape intransitive verb (Nautical) To head or point; to keep a course; as, the ship capes southwest by south.

Cape Cape noun [ Middle English Cape , from French cape ; confer Late Latin cappa . See Cap , and confer 1st Cope , Chape .] A sleeveless garment or part of a garment, hanging from the neck over the back, arms, and shoulders, but not reaching below the hips. See Cloak .

Cape Cape intransitive verb [ See Gape .] To gape. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Capel Ca"pel (kā"pĕl), Ca"ple (- p'l) , noun [ Icelandic kapall ; confer Latin caballus .] A horse; a nag. [ Obsolete] Chaucer. Holland.

Capel Ca"pel (kā"pĕl) noun (Mining) A composite stone (quartz, schorl, and hornblende) in the walls of tin and copper lodes.

Capelan Cap"e·lan noun (Zoology) See Capelin .

Capelin Cape"lin noun [ Confer French capelan , caplan .] (Zoology) A small marine fish ( Mallotus villosus ) of the family Salmonidæ , very abundant on the coasts of Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland, and Alaska. It is used as a bait for the cod. [ Written also capelan and caplin .]

» This fish, which is like a smelt, is called by the Spaniards anchova , and by the Portuguese capelina . Fisheries of U. S. (1884).

Capeline Ca"pe·line` noun [ French, from Late Latin capella . See Chapel .] (Medicine) A hood- shaped bandage for the head, the shoulder, or the stump of an amputated limb.

Capella Ca·pel"la noun [ Latin , a little goat, dim. of caper a goat.] (Asrton.) A brilliant star in the constellation Auriga.

Capellane Cap"el·lane noun [ See Chaplain .] The curate of a chapel; a chaplain. [ Obsolete] Fuller.

Capelle Ca·pel"le noun [ G.] (Mus.) The private orchestra or band of a prince or of a church.

Capellet Cap"el·let noun [ French capelet .] (Far.) A swelling, like a wen, on the point of the elbow (or the heel of the hock) of a horse, caused probably by bruises in lying down.

Capellmeister Ca·pell"meis`ter noun [ G., from capelle chapel, private band of a prince + meister a master.] The musical director in a royal or ducal chapel; a choir-master. [ Written also kapellmeister .]

Caper Ca"per intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Capered present participle & verbal noun capering .] [ From older capreoll to caper, confer French se cabrer to prance; all ultimately from Latin caper , capra , goat. See Capriole .] To leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to cut capers; to skip; to spring; to prance; to dance.

He capers , he dances, he has eyes of youth.
Shak.

Caper Ca"per noun A frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump, as in mirth or dancing; a prank.

To cut a caper , to frolic; to make a sportive spring; to play a prank. Shak.

Caper Ca"per noun [ Dutch kaper .] A vessel formerly used by the Dutch, privateer. Wright.

Caper Ca"per noun [ French câpre , from Latin capparis , Greek ...; confer Arabic & Persian al-kabar .] 1. The pungent grayish green flower bud of the European and Oriental caper ( Capparis spinosa ), much used for pickles.

2. (Botany) A plant of the genus Capparis ; -- called also caper bush , caper tree .

» The Capparis spinosa is a low prickly shrub of the Mediterranean coasts, with trailing branches and brilliant flowers; -- cultivated in the south of Europe for its buds. The C. sodada is an almost leafless spiny shrub of central Africa (Soudan), Arabia, and southern India, with edible berries.

Bean caper . See Bran caper , in the Vocabulary . -- Caper sauce , a kind of sauce or catchup made of capers.

Caper bush, Caper tree Ca"per bush`, Ca"per tree` See Capper , a plant, 2.

Caperberry Ca"per·ber`ry noun 1. The small olive-shaped berry of the European and Oriental caper, said to be used in pickles and as a condiment.

2. The currantlike fruit of the African and Arabian caper ( Capparis sodado ).

Capercailzie, Capercally Ca"per·cail`zie, Ca"per·cal`ly noun [ Gael, capulcoile .] (Zoology) A species of grouse ( Tetrao uragallus ) of large size and fine flavor, found in northern Europe and formerly in Scotland; -- called also cock of the woods . [ Written also capercaillie , capercaili .]

Caperclaw Ca"per·claw` transitive verb To treat with cruel playfulness, as a cat treats a mouse; to abuse. [ Obsolete] Birch.

Caperer Ca"per·er noun One who capers, leaps, and skips about, or dances.

The nimble caperer on the cord.
Dryden.

Capful Cap"ful noun ; plural Capfuls As much as will fill a cap.

A capful of wind (Nautical) , a light puff of wind.

Capias Ca"pi·as noun [ Latin thou mayst take.] (Low) A writ or process commanding the officer to take the body of the person named in it, that is, to arrest him; -- also called writ of capias .

» One principal kind of capias is a writ by which actions at law are frequently commenced; another is a writ of execution issued after judgment to satisfy damages recovered; a capias in criminal law is the process to take a person charged on an indictment, when he is not in custody. Burrill. Wharton.

Capibara Ca`pi·ba"ra noun (Zoology) See Capybara .

Capillaceous Cap`il·la"ceous adjective [ Latin capillaceus hairy, from capillus hair.] Having long filaments; resembling a hair; slender. See Capillary .

Capillaire Cap`il·laire" noun [ French capillaire maiden-hair; sirop de capillaire capillaire; from Latin herba capillaris the maidenhair.] 1. A sirup prepared from the maiden-hair, formerly supposed to have medicinal properties.

2. Any simple sirup flavored with orange flowers.

Capillament Ca·pil"la·ment noun [ Latin capillamentum , from capillus hair: confer French capillament .] 1. (Botany) A filament. [ R.]

2. (Anat.) Any villous or hairy covering; a fine fiber or filament, as of the nerves.

Capillariness Cap"il·la·ri·ness noun The quality of being capillary.

Capillarity Cap`il·lar"i·ty noun [ Confer French capillarité .]

1. The quality or condition of being capillary.

2. (Physics) The peculiar action by which the surface of a liquid, where it is in contact with a solid (as in a capillary tube), is elevated or depressed; capillary attraction.

» Capillarity depends upon the relative attaction of the modecules of the liquid for each other and for those of the solid, and is especially observable in capillary tubes, where it determines the ascent or descent of the liquid above or below the level of the liquid which the tube is dipped; -- hence the name.

Capillary Cap"il·la·ry (kăp"ĭl*la*rȳ or kȧ*pĭl"lȧ*rȳ; 277) adjective [ Latin capillaris , from capillus hair. Confer Capillaire .] 1. Resembling a hair; fine; minute; very slender; having minute tubes or interspaces; having very small bore; as, the capillary vessels of animals and plants.

2. Pertaining to capillary tubes or vessels; as, capillary action.

Capillary attraction , Capillary repulsion , the apparent attraction or repulsion between a solid and liquid caused by capillarity. See Capillarity , and Attraction . -- Capillarity tubes . See the Note under Capillarity .

Capillary Cap"il·la·ry noun ; plural Capillaries 1. A tube or vessel, extremely fine or minute.

2. (Anat.) A minute, thin-walled vessel; particularly one of the smallest blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, but used also for the smallest lymphatic and biliary vessels.

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